What’s a soldier beetle?

They typically feed on flower buds and other small pests, as they’re omnivores.

These beetles have two distinct diets depending on where they are in their lifecycle. They can be a “worm-like” grub as larvae or a full-fledged beetle as an adult.

They’re considered to be beneficial bugs and typically don’t require any intervention to stop. They’re basically nature’s janitors and will keep other bug populations in check.

However, sometimes their population can become quite high and this is when you may need to step in and control them.

They can also be a nuisance when they get inside your home and fly around.

Because of their large size, they can be scary for people afraid of bugs.

Other names

The soldier beetle is also known as a leatherwing because of its soft elytra used for gliding through the air and locomotion.

Appearance

They’re easy to spot because they have a distinct coloration pattern.

Soldier beetles have a distinct appearance. Depending on the part of the life cycle, you’re either dealing with their beetle larvae or the beetle adult.

Here’s how they look.

Larvae

Soldier beetle larvae are about 0.5” in length and are usually black or brown. They may also be lighter colors of tan and red. They’re often described as “worms” or “caterpillars,” though neither are correct terms. They may be confused with maggots or grubs, but the larvae have a ton of small hairs (bristles) that make them appear to be silky.

Adults

Adult beetles have some striking colors. Soldier beetle adults can be orange, black, and patterned.

Their soft elytra allow them to fly. They’re similar to lightning bugs, but they don’t emit any glow.

They have elongated shapes and straight wings and antennae, and they can be found low to the earth and hide within plants, flowers, bark, and more. They have 6 visible limbs and 2 antennae.

Adults range in length up to 1” depending on the species.

How do I identify a soldier beetle?

They’re quite easy to identify compared to other bugs because of their tan coloration.

Their wings are straight along their narrow body and each wing has an obvious black spot. The soldier beetles vary slightly in color depending on where they live and their local environment.

They’re often confused with fireflies, but it’s easy to tell the difference because soldier beetles don’t emit any light at night. They’re also confused for a wasp when they’re in mid-flight because of their quick buzzing pattern.

Lifecycle

Soldier beetles mating.

Soldier beetles have a simple life cycle just like most other beetles.

They start out as larvae which will feed on other smaller pests and eggs. They’ll hibernate during the cold season and emerge as adults in the spring.

This is when the adult beetles will hide in moist, wet plants and eat breed, and stalk their prey.

The adult females will seek out moist and rich soil to deposit their eggs.

Mating

Soldier beetles have life cycles similar to any other beetle. After all, they are beetles.

The adult females deposit eggs after mating and the larvae emerge from the egg in the fall. The larvae will eat eggs of other pests in your yard, which actually make their larvae beneficial compared to other bugs.

This is why soldier beetles can actually be a good bug to have.

Emergence as an adult beetle and diet

The larvae eat other smaller larvae and soft-bodied bugs as they feed. Then they hibernate in the soil when winter comes and stay in there until spring.

Soldier beetle larvae do hibernate and will seek shelter to hide from the elements and the cold weather. They can use soil, leaf debris, or plant matter scattered all over the lawn.

After the springtime comes and the weather warms up, the beetles emerge as adults and will look for flowers that are brightly colored. They’re attracted to flowering plants like zinnia, marigold, and goldenrod, which is strange because other pollinators like bees hate these plants.

They’ll fly from flower to flower and help pollinate your plants, similar to how bees pollinate up to 80% of crops.

Thus, they’re often mistaken for a “bad pest” when in reality they’re quite beneficial.

Are soldier beetles good to have?

Soldier beetles can be controlled.

This is why some people actually want to find out how to attract them to your yard.

They don’t damage your plants. They eat up other pests to control the population. And they help pollinate your plants.

What more could you ask for?

Some people want to attract soldier beetles to their yard, as they’re considered a beneficial bug. That’s why you’ll be hard-pressed to find much info online to get rid of them.

What do soldier beetles eat?

Soldier beetle larvae are pollinators of plants, but they don’t care about plants.

Their larvae will eat the eggs of other bugs.

They can even eat the larvae that are crawling around, so this is why they can be beneficial for homeowners as they reduce the number of other pests.

And the adults will eat any other soft-bodied pest that comes their way. They often hide within a plant until another bug wanders nearby.

The adults will also consume flower nectar and pollen, so they’re considered to be omnivorous compared to soldier beetle larvae which are more carnivorous.

Do they bite?

Soldier beetles are harmful to humans and don’t bite or sting.

They don’t have the piercing mouthparts that other biting pests have. These gentle pests have chewing parts that they use to eat other bugs and plant matter.

If anything, you should consider them to be a natural predator that helps control other bugs in your yard. And they work for you 24/7. For free.

Do they damage flowers?

Although they have chewing parts in their mouth, they rarely do enough damage to do permanent damage to your plants.

They extract the nectar and help pollinate your plants, but will rarely do any damage to harm your buds. They may chew and take a sample of your plants here and there, but this is definitely not enough to do any damage.

So they’re harmless to humans and flowers. And only eat the eggs or larvae of pests.

And they help pollinate your plants! It seems like a good bug to have. The only problem is when they get out of control because of their breeding habits.

How to attract more soldier beetles

Some people actually want these beneficial bugs in their yard.

If you want to get more of these beneficial bugs to your garden, here are some tips on attracting them.

Although you can’t force them to come to your property, you can make your yard more attractive to them by planting the flowers they like.

Unlike most other pests that are repelled by plants like zinnia and marigold, soldier beetles actually like them.

Plant colorful and bright flowers in your yard to help bring more of them to your property.

You can also plant daisies, sunflowers, tulip, plumeria, dahlia, lotus flower, and chrysanthemum. All of this helps attract more of them to your yard.

But, if you have way too many soldier beetles, you’ll want to find out how to get rid of them. Or at least control their numbers so your yard isn’t overrunning with them.

Where are soldier beetles found?

Soldier beetles are found all over the United States, but often in temperate or warmer states like California, Kentucky, and Oregon.

They’re often found hiding in plants and shrubs as they wait for their prey to wander nearby.

Then, they’ll fight and wrestle with their prey as they consume them.

You’ll find the adults active during the peak summer to early autumn. They usually start to come out in late July and will continue to do their thing until September.

Soldier beetles are often found in pairs. This usually consists of the male beetle guarding the female, or they can be found mating.

The adult beetles will be found on flowers like zinnia and goldenrod. They’ll mate, eat, and wait for prey as the plant offers them everything they need.

They’re considered to be beneficial pests, but when you have too many of them, they can really start to make your yard overly infested with pests. The larvae and adults continue to forage all throughout the summer.

Soldier beetles can become a nuisance too. These pests can find their way into your property and start to really “bug” you.

Where do they live?

Soldier beetle larvae hide and consume eggs of other bugs or even their larvae.

They can hide in a variety of places that protect them from the elements, like:

Lawns

Meadows

Forests

Plant debris

Tree bark

Foliage

Soil

You may also find them eating potato, celery, and other plants.

The majority of larvae stay in chambers to hide from predators until the spring when they emerge as adult beetles.

Soldier beetle adults hide in flowers and plants to breed, eat, and stalk prey. They spend most of their time doing this.

You’ll find them hiding in the flower buds when you do your gardening outside. They eat nectar, pollen, and other soft pests.

At what time of year would you find soldier beetles most active?

Soldier beetles are active in the summer, as with most bugs.

They come out when the temperatures pick up and will be active in your flowering buds, trees, and shrubs.

You’ll find them most active throughout the summer to autumn as this is when they mate, eat, and deposit eggs.

How to get rid of soldier beetles naturally

Here are some DIY home remedies to get rid of them.

There are a few techniques you can do at home to get rid of them from your property.

Most of these are natural methods so you don’t need to deal with nasty residues. Always use natural or organic control methods before resorting to commercial brands.

Seal up entryways around your home

Do you have soldier beetles in your home?

Although these pests are native to wildflowers and lush, moist environments, sometimes they can find their way into the property.

Check around your home and repair or replace any possible entry points for beetles.

These are the most common points of entry:

Gaps between foundation and siding

Damaged window or doors screens

Damaged vents

Weatherstripping gaps

Cracks and seams around the foundation

Crawl spaces and voids

Seal up and caulk all openings in your walls and you should be able to prevent a handful of pests from ever entering your home.

What attracts beetles to your house?

They only reason you’ll find them there is that they accidentally flew in

There are a few other reasons why you may find them in there:

You bought some plants that were already infested with eggs

They’re attracted to the houseplants

You have flowering plants on your windowsills

Your house is in a state of disrepair and allows bugs to sneak through

Why are soldier beetles in my house?

Soldier beetles can sneak into your house through windows.

They didn’t wander through your window on purpose. Soldier beetles in the home are likely there by accident. They may have gotten in your home through the window or open door.

You can get rid of them in your house just by blocking them out.

Or through some crack in your weatherstripping or a damaged window screen. Who knows. Keeping your home in a state of repair will help keep them out.

During the springtime, the adults emerge from the soil and take flight for the first time. If conditions were favorable, you may see a ton of soldier beetles coming out.

Since the adult females deposit eggs around the same time for that generation, you can expect that the adults will hatch within days of each other. If they had plenty of food and a low number of predators or threats, this leads to high fecundity.

And thus, you’ll have a ton of adult beetles in the spring when the temperatures start to pick up.

So that’s the “why” as to having your home patched up and protected from the outdoors. By doing so, you have a lower chance of them getting into your room.

Disclaimer: Always consult with a qualified professional exterminator prior to beginning any pest control plan. The content on this site is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as professional advice, or to replace a relationship with a qualified professional.